The triple bottomline is about People, Planet and Profits. Sustainable organizations and responsible corporate citizens are concerned with more than just economic performance.
Expert Insight from IBM Institute of Business Value
Environmental sustainability is no longer just a corporate social responsibility (CSR) issue. Nor is it important only for compliance and reporting purposes. It is, in fact, an imperative in the fullest sense of the word.
Digital technologies—especially exponential ones—make possible many market-based mechanisms that drive change and innovation. In particular, they can support incentive mechanisms for action at a scale and speed that would be impossible through the traditional means of regulations and government intervention.
Business and IT, does BT deliver on IT's sustainability promisemgubbens
Many industries and enterprises are initiating strategies or policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there are many more that simply do not have the capacity, commitment or money to act today. This paper highlights the current status of business strategy of Corporate Social Responsibility from a competitive advantage perspective, Governance & Sustainability and Green IT adoption which can be used to benchmark for future development and improvements for BT.
Triple Bottom Line Reporting workshop slides, Laura Musikanski, July 2010Sustainable Seattle
Slides from Laura Musikanski's Triple Bottom Line Reporting workshop in Seattle, July 2010. See http://sustainableseattle.org/Programs/emergingppi/STARs/classes/20100715_TBL/ for background information and http://www.slideshare.net/sustainableseattle/getting-to-tbl-metrics for Burr Stewart's guest lecture at the same class.
Expert Insight from IBM Institute of Business Value
Environmental sustainability is no longer just a corporate social responsibility (CSR) issue. Nor is it important only for compliance and reporting purposes. It is, in fact, an imperative in the fullest sense of the word.
Digital technologies—especially exponential ones—make possible many market-based mechanisms that drive change and innovation. In particular, they can support incentive mechanisms for action at a scale and speed that would be impossible through the traditional means of regulations and government intervention.
Business and IT, does BT deliver on IT's sustainability promisemgubbens
Many industries and enterprises are initiating strategies or policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there are many more that simply do not have the capacity, commitment or money to act today. This paper highlights the current status of business strategy of Corporate Social Responsibility from a competitive advantage perspective, Governance & Sustainability and Green IT adoption which can be used to benchmark for future development and improvements for BT.
Triple Bottom Line Reporting workshop slides, Laura Musikanski, July 2010Sustainable Seattle
Slides from Laura Musikanski's Triple Bottom Line Reporting workshop in Seattle, July 2010. See http://sustainableseattle.org/Programs/emergingppi/STARs/classes/20100715_TBL/ for background information and http://www.slideshare.net/sustainableseattle/getting-to-tbl-metrics for Burr Stewart's guest lecture at the same class.
An Ontology for Strongly Sustainable Business Models - O&E - Upward & Jones (...Antony Upward
A peer reviewed article about strongly sustainable business models published special Issue of the peer reviewed journal Organization and Environment on Business Models for Sustainability: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Transformation.
This article summarizes significant elements of my graduate thesis - see https://yorku.academia.edu/AntonyUpward/Thesis.
Since this research was completed, the practitioner visual design tool (the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas) that is conceptually "powered by" the the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology, has been further refined to become the Flourishing Business Canvas - see www.FlourishingBusiness.org for the most recent practice and developments.
Published as: Upward, A., & Jones, P. H. (2015). An ontology for strongly sustainable business models: Defining an enterprise framework compatible with natural and social science. Organization & Environment, Special Issue: Business Models for Sustainability: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Transformation (On-Line First), 1-27. doi:10.1177/1086026615592933
Triple Bottom Line TBL accounting and reporting increases business success and government transparency. No longer is profit enough to be a sustainable success, a company must report on its environmental and social impacts as well. The same is true for governments.
The business case for environmental sustainability: embedding long-term strat...Ken Dooley
ABSTRACT Current environmental demands, such as the need to meet governmental climate change adaptation targets or to avoid future resource scarcities have created a business opportunity for firms that eschew business as usual and adopt ambitious environmentally focused systemic innovations. This article aims to present a clear business case for corporate environmental sustainability in order to increase investments in this area. The core focus is on the tangible economic benefits that can be realised through environmental strategies such as risk reduction and efficiency gains. The aim is to show that sustainability can be an opportunity rather than an obligation and that not only can environmental and economic performance be optimised simultaneously but that economic performance can be optimised through environmental strategies. It is expected that this approach shall increase competitive advantage while supporting climate change mitigation. The article also highlights the current drivers that provide motivation for environmental performance improvement such as global trends towards resource efficiency and the exposure to long term environmental risks. Sustainability is a multidimensional subject that involves a diverse range of operational processes and it is argued that a greater portion of sustainability resources should be invested in ambitious environmentally focused systemic innovations. This will enable sustainability to be strategically integrated into the core business practices. Embedded sustainability is the term used to describe a high level of sustainability integration.
IBM Study On Sustainable Corporate Social ResponibilityrScott Rains
In order to attain sustainable growth through CSR, companies must:
1. Align and incorporate CSR with business
strategy and integrate it across all perational
functions, thus making it easy to invest
(not spend) the funds necessary to achieve
its objectives;
2. Implement an open information strategy for
more transparent information sharing with
multiple stakeholders;
3. Leverage transparency to increase the levelof engagement of key constituents and
customers.
This presentation explores what Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has to do with IT and how IT Service Management best practice can assist organisations in support of a strategic CSR policy.
The awareness of the Sustainable Development (SD) issues and stakeholder interactions in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) management, forces companies to adopt the concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Green IT to meet the challenges of innovation agility, and afterwards to create differentiation in the processes of governance and strategic alignment of ICT. In this article, we present the enhanced model of eco-strategy as a new generation model for ICT management, which will serve as a theoretical basis and aims to improve research in the field of responsible management of ICT. The updated eco-strategy model is composed of two dimensions: “ICT Green Alignment” and “ICT Green Governance”. These dimensions were designed according to a Green IT and CSR strategy to provide companies with tools for the development of coherent and sustainable managerial strategies capable of boosting overall performance and to explore new levers of transition towards renewed management modes in service the SD.
The momentum of the ageing workforce: implications of the grey wave & corresp...OHS Leaders Summit
This Sponsor led speaker session was hosted and presented by Jason Allison, Chief Workers Compenation Portfolio & Underwriting Management, GIO and Prof. Philip Taylor, Professor, Monash University.
It was a thought provoking workshop to review the challenges being created by the demographic changes and how to turn them into opportunities for your organisation.
It will help you understand the trends associated with the ageing workforce, learn about the financial implications and mitigation strategies.
Their main focus is the current issue that demographic changes are taking place in Australia. Workers Compensation system is likely to take on a significant percentage of the ageing population's health care costs due to the prolongation of working careers. In fact, as the workforce increases by a further 25% over the next 4 decades only about 5% will come from workers aged less than 54 years old, whilst more than 200% growth is expected for workers aged 65 years and over.
GIO will continue to partner with government and other seriously minded organisations to develop appropriate solutions to emerging issues created by these types of social and financial changes.
This thought provoking workshop reviewed the challenges being created by these demographic changes and how to turn them into opportunities for your organisation.
It enables OHS leaders to:
- Refresh your understanding of the trends associated with the ageing workforce
- Gain insight into the latest research from global subject matter and GIO experts
- Learn about hard hitting social and financial implications and mitigation strategies
- Recap systemic threats triggered by the ageing workforce
- Inspire decision makers to evaluate their organisation's eco-system in connection with the domestic and international economy
- Be prepared for future challenges and seize opportunities in rapidly changing environments
- Decision makers receive quality information to navigate through uncertainty
Dieter Gross: Education and Climate Change, with Reference to UNESCO's Action...duinbergen
The presentation has slide transition and animations, for viewing you must download the file.
ESD and Climate Change are dependent on a mental change and action. UNESCO has adopted Action Goals for the Second Half of the Decade.The results of a Survey on these Goals
reveal drivers and barriers.
Developing a Comprehensive Safe-Driving Program for TeensCognizant
Teen driving is a critical concern for families, and a top-of-mind issue for insurers. Today, using advanced technologies such as telematics, the SMAC (TM) Stack (social, mobile, analytics and cloud), insurers offer all-inclusive safe-driving programs that help predict and prevent teen-related accidents— in real time
By embracing data science tools and technologies, banks can more effectively inform strategic decision-making, reducing uncertainty and eliminating analysis-paralysis.
An Ontology for Strongly Sustainable Business Models - O&E - Upward & Jones (...Antony Upward
A peer reviewed article about strongly sustainable business models published special Issue of the peer reviewed journal Organization and Environment on Business Models for Sustainability: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Transformation.
This article summarizes significant elements of my graduate thesis - see https://yorku.academia.edu/AntonyUpward/Thesis.
Since this research was completed, the practitioner visual design tool (the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas) that is conceptually "powered by" the the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology, has been further refined to become the Flourishing Business Canvas - see www.FlourishingBusiness.org for the most recent practice and developments.
Published as: Upward, A., & Jones, P. H. (2015). An ontology for strongly sustainable business models: Defining an enterprise framework compatible with natural and social science. Organization & Environment, Special Issue: Business Models for Sustainability: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Transformation (On-Line First), 1-27. doi:10.1177/1086026615592933
Triple Bottom Line TBL accounting and reporting increases business success and government transparency. No longer is profit enough to be a sustainable success, a company must report on its environmental and social impacts as well. The same is true for governments.
The business case for environmental sustainability: embedding long-term strat...Ken Dooley
ABSTRACT Current environmental demands, such as the need to meet governmental climate change adaptation targets or to avoid future resource scarcities have created a business opportunity for firms that eschew business as usual and adopt ambitious environmentally focused systemic innovations. This article aims to present a clear business case for corporate environmental sustainability in order to increase investments in this area. The core focus is on the tangible economic benefits that can be realised through environmental strategies such as risk reduction and efficiency gains. The aim is to show that sustainability can be an opportunity rather than an obligation and that not only can environmental and economic performance be optimised simultaneously but that economic performance can be optimised through environmental strategies. It is expected that this approach shall increase competitive advantage while supporting climate change mitigation. The article also highlights the current drivers that provide motivation for environmental performance improvement such as global trends towards resource efficiency and the exposure to long term environmental risks. Sustainability is a multidimensional subject that involves a diverse range of operational processes and it is argued that a greater portion of sustainability resources should be invested in ambitious environmentally focused systemic innovations. This will enable sustainability to be strategically integrated into the core business practices. Embedded sustainability is the term used to describe a high level of sustainability integration.
IBM Study On Sustainable Corporate Social ResponibilityrScott Rains
In order to attain sustainable growth through CSR, companies must:
1. Align and incorporate CSR with business
strategy and integrate it across all perational
functions, thus making it easy to invest
(not spend) the funds necessary to achieve
its objectives;
2. Implement an open information strategy for
more transparent information sharing with
multiple stakeholders;
3. Leverage transparency to increase the levelof engagement of key constituents and
customers.
This presentation explores what Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has to do with IT and how IT Service Management best practice can assist organisations in support of a strategic CSR policy.
The awareness of the Sustainable Development (SD) issues and stakeholder interactions in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) management, forces companies to adopt the concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Green IT to meet the challenges of innovation agility, and afterwards to create differentiation in the processes of governance and strategic alignment of ICT. In this article, we present the enhanced model of eco-strategy as a new generation model for ICT management, which will serve as a theoretical basis and aims to improve research in the field of responsible management of ICT. The updated eco-strategy model is composed of two dimensions: “ICT Green Alignment” and “ICT Green Governance”. These dimensions were designed according to a Green IT and CSR strategy to provide companies with tools for the development of coherent and sustainable managerial strategies capable of boosting overall performance and to explore new levers of transition towards renewed management modes in service the SD.
The momentum of the ageing workforce: implications of the grey wave & corresp...OHS Leaders Summit
This Sponsor led speaker session was hosted and presented by Jason Allison, Chief Workers Compenation Portfolio & Underwriting Management, GIO and Prof. Philip Taylor, Professor, Monash University.
It was a thought provoking workshop to review the challenges being created by the demographic changes and how to turn them into opportunities for your organisation.
It will help you understand the trends associated with the ageing workforce, learn about the financial implications and mitigation strategies.
Their main focus is the current issue that demographic changes are taking place in Australia. Workers Compensation system is likely to take on a significant percentage of the ageing population's health care costs due to the prolongation of working careers. In fact, as the workforce increases by a further 25% over the next 4 decades only about 5% will come from workers aged less than 54 years old, whilst more than 200% growth is expected for workers aged 65 years and over.
GIO will continue to partner with government and other seriously minded organisations to develop appropriate solutions to emerging issues created by these types of social and financial changes.
This thought provoking workshop reviewed the challenges being created by these demographic changes and how to turn them into opportunities for your organisation.
It enables OHS leaders to:
- Refresh your understanding of the trends associated with the ageing workforce
- Gain insight into the latest research from global subject matter and GIO experts
- Learn about hard hitting social and financial implications and mitigation strategies
- Recap systemic threats triggered by the ageing workforce
- Inspire decision makers to evaluate their organisation's eco-system in connection with the domestic and international economy
- Be prepared for future challenges and seize opportunities in rapidly changing environments
- Decision makers receive quality information to navigate through uncertainty
Dieter Gross: Education and Climate Change, with Reference to UNESCO's Action...duinbergen
The presentation has slide transition and animations, for viewing you must download the file.
ESD and Climate Change are dependent on a mental change and action. UNESCO has adopted Action Goals for the Second Half of the Decade.The results of a Survey on these Goals
reveal drivers and barriers.
Developing a Comprehensive Safe-Driving Program for TeensCognizant
Teen driving is a critical concern for families, and a top-of-mind issue for insurers. Today, using advanced technologies such as telematics, the SMAC (TM) Stack (social, mobile, analytics and cloud), insurers offer all-inclusive safe-driving programs that help predict and prevent teen-related accidents— in real time
By embracing data science tools and technologies, banks can more effectively inform strategic decision-making, reducing uncertainty and eliminating analysis-paralysis.
Safeguarding Bank Assets with an Early Warning SystemCognizant
The recent global financial crisis underscored the impact of non-performing assets and caused banks' overhead to soar. An automated early warning system (EWS) can help these institutions avoid the risk of problem loans, better protect their assets and reduce the effects of delinquent payments.
Building a Robust Big Data QA Ecosystem to Mitigate Data Integrity ChallengesCognizant
With big data growing exponentially, the need to test semi-structured and unstructured data has risen; we offer several strategies for big data quality assurance (QA), taking into account data security, scalability and performance issues. Our recommendations center around data warehouse testing, performance testing and test data management.
Employee Wellness: Two Parts Perspiration, One Part PersistenceCognizant
With employee health affecting bottom lines, organizations need to support preemptive initiatives that encourage both personal wellness and quantifiable results. Here's how we are addressing this major challenge.
Educators Pave the Way for Next Generation of LearnersCognizant
As educational assessments shift to outcome-based learning, providers must adopt new forms of test delivery to increase their global reach and provide ubiquitous services to a new student population.
A New Approach to Application Portfolio Assessment for New-Age Business-Techn...Cognizant
SMAC technologies are propelling new business models, requiring an application portfolio assessment that considers the necessary capabilities and processes to enable effective digital business transformation.
Informed Manufacturing: Reaching for New HorizonsCognizant
Although still in its infancy, informed manufacturing -- making the right information available in the right form at the right time -- is advancing across industry sectors. Cognizant's recent in-depth study involving interviews with manufacturing CXOs, engineering firms, service and IT providers, academia and industry analysts worldwide, revealed that while most companies understand the signifiance of informed manufacturing, many are proceeding carefully -- working to balance the conflicting priorities of managing day-to-day business while focusing on innovation and breakthrough initiatives. They see external support as a critical success factor.
Multidimensional Challenges and the Impact of Test Data ManagementCognizant
Test data management (TDM) is vital for quality assurance (QA) functions to best handle the many cha;l;enges associated with data security, release management, batch processing, data masking and fencing.
As the notion of Web-enabled self-service matures, organizations must be sensitive to customer expectations for relevant information and problem resolution across channels in order to optimize costs and deliver a consistent user experience.
A Framework for Digital Business TransformationCognizant
By embracing Code Halo thinking and a programmatic approach to business process change, organizations can better engage with customers and deliver mass-customized products and services that drive differentiation and outperformance.
Supply Chain Management of Locally-Grown Organic Food: A Leap Toward Sustaina...Cognizant
With the organic food market growing rapidly worldwide, supply chain issues loom large in farmers' ability to provide organic produce and meats. Some key issues include accountabilty and traceability, reducing time to market, controlling food mileage, better integration of supply chains with small farms as well as industrial organics and enhancing value delivery networks and value chains.
Transforming HR into a Strategic Asset enabled by Oracle HCM CloudCognizant
Today’s Human Capital Management (HCM) market is undergoing a unique shift from the traditional transactional process areas to strategic process areas with increasing focus on:
1. Integrated Talent Management: Employee skill management and development has taken the center stage. What are the emerging trends in this space and how is this important for business growth?
2. Enhanced Usability: More than ever, employees need and demand user friendly, contemporary self-service. How does a good self-service strategy unlock $ value for you.
3. Accessibility: Integrated functionality for Analytics, Mobility, and Enterprise Social is a requirement. What can your organization do to get the best value out of these feature rich frameworks?
In this new environment, what are the target options available for HR working on legacy systems? How can CxOs and HR evaluate their current HCM systems and ensure that the technology led HR transformations are not only aligned to the latest HR trends but also provide maximum ROI through increased productivity and automation with lower total cost of ownership?
This presentation by Praveen Gupta (Senior Director, HCM Solution Advisor) throws light on the latest trends in HCM marketplace, target options for customers on legacy systems or manual processes and show how HR in leading companies are leveraging the Oracle HCM & Talent Cloud to move from being a transactional unit to a strategic asset in business growth.
Whitepaper integrated reporting in the CloudWorkiva
To make our economy sustainable we have to relearn everything we have learnt from the past. That means making more from less and ensuring that governance, strategy and sustainability are inseparable. Integrated Reporting builds on the practice of Financial Reporting, and Environmental, Social and Governance — or ESG — reporting (also known as Corporate Social Responsibility — CSR), and equips companies to strategically
manage their operations, brand and
reputation to stakeholders and be better
prepared to manage any risk that may
compromise the long-term sustainability of
the business.”*
Tools, techniques and strategies for understanding, measuring and communicating impact. 19th-20th June 2018, London. This two-day conference will highlight the latest methods being applied by business to measure the impact of their sustainability programs. We’ll discuss and debate the pros and cons of the different tools and techniques available, whilst assessing what has really worked for companies in practice.
An Exploratory Study of Factors Influencing Corporate Sustainability on busin...AkashSharma618775
This study evaluates the effect of corporate sustainability on business performance of manufacturing
industries in USA, from 2012 to 2015. These Manufacturing industries are listed in Corporate Social
Responsibility Hub (CSRHub), Morning Star and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). All data used in this report
were extracted from 37 manufacturing companies’ Sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and
annual reports. These companies are of diverse sectors such as Automobile, Health care, consumer goods, food,
beverages and technology. Quantitative method of research is used in this study; this also includes the use of
explanatory and descriptive research design. The main issues to be discussed in this study are Donation, Incident
rate reduction and Water Recycled as the independent variables, while Revenue is the dependent variable. Data
analysis was carried out using the regression analysis, descriptive statistics and correlation. E-views software
generated the data for further analysis. The findings imply that donation has a positive insignificance effect on
revenue, reduced incident rate reduction had positive significance effect on revenue and water recycling has
negative insignificant effect on revenue. In the future researches, larger samples of companies form diverse sectors
and subsectors should be studied to broaden the research on company performance especially the non-financial
aspect.
An Exploratory Study of Factors Influencing Corporate Sustainability on busin...AkashSharma618775
This study evaluates the effect of corporate sustainability on business performance of manufacturing
industries in USA, from 2012 to 2015. These Manufacturing industries are listed in Corporate Social
Responsibility Hub (CSRHub), Morning Star and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). All data used in this report
were extracted from 37 manufacturing companies’ Sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and
annual reports. These companies are of diverse sectors such as Automobile, Health care, consumer goods, food,
beverages and technology. Quantitative method of research is used in this study; this also includes the use of
explanatory and descriptive research design. The main issues to be discussed in this study are Donation, Incident
rate reduction and Water Recycled as the independent variables, while Revenue is the dependent variable. Data
analysis was carried out using the regression analysis, descriptive statistics and correlation. E-views software
generated the data for further analysis. The findings imply that donation has a positive insignificance effect on
revenue, reduced incident rate reduction had positive significance effect on revenue and water recycling has
negative insignificant effect on revenue. In the future researches, larger samples of companies form diverse sectors
and subsectors should be studied to broaden the research on company performance especially the non-financial
aspect.
How Innovation and Technology Will Fuel the Transition to Sustainable Enterpr...EricCuka
This report has been created to provide insight as to why businesses should adopt sustainability practices into their core business strategies. Innovation and technology have not only created increased pressure and transparency, they have also created enormous opportunity for businesses in today's high-demand economy. There are incredible examples covered in the included research which demonstrate how organizations have utilized eco-efficiencies to increase margins while simultaneously benefiting both core and fringe stakeholders. The key concept of this paper is to encourage companies to embrace sustainability into their corporate culture in order to fuel innovation and create competitive advantages. Technology can be leveraged in a wide array of possibilities to maximize operational efficiencies, increase margins, and impact society at the same time. The research conducted to support the main argument of this report includes readings from Saint Cloud State University's MBA 605 - Strategies for Sustainable Development class, as well as multiple external readings from credible internet sources.
Anyone who is employed in a technology field will find this report especially interesting; however, the content is relevant to multiple areas of business and business strategy. Whether you are passionate about sustainability or not, the research in this paper will apply to you if you are interested in maximizing operational efficiencies through innovation and technology. The key eco-efficiencies covered include: reduced material and waste expenses, reduced energy expenses, and reduced water expenses. As companies embrace technology, combined with a sustainable strategy, additional innovations will be constructed as these companies strive towards becoming sustainable. The bottom line is that technology and innovation will fuel the transition to sustainable enterprises. Is your company going to be left behind?
Brighter Planet Employee Engagement and Sustainability Survey 2009Elizabeth Lupfer
An Analysis of the Extent and Nature of Employee Sustainability Programs . This report sheds light on the interactions between employers and their employees around sustainable actions in the
workplace. Includes useful social media data as a communications channel.
Source: Brighter Planet, http://brighterplanet.com/research
Business must be the major driver of innovation and sustainability in our society if we are to avoid a “perfect storm” of resource scarcity, climate change, and pollution. The “triple bottom line” concept is a response to this need, but its use is limited because it does not address the competitive strategy of the firm. A strategy-based balanced scorecard system aligned with principles of the Triple Bottom Line offers a way to accomplish social and environmental goals while integrating them fully with financial performance and competitive advantage.
Sustainable Tomorrow - Driving Opportunity While Discharging ResponsibilityInfosys
In a world that is increasingly connected, well informed and socially active, enterprises have to operate amidst rising concerns around resource depletion, distribution inequities and environmental degradation. This is a scenario where the sustainability of business hinges not just on profitability but also on social and environmental responsibility. While this poses an onerous responsibility, it also presents an immense opportunity for enterprises to differentiate, innovate and build trust
Read More: http://www.infosys.com/building-tomorrows-enterprise/sustainable-tomorrow/Pages/index.aspx
Using Adaptive Scrum to Tame Process Reverse Engineering in Data Analytics Pr...Cognizant
Organizations rely on analytics to make intelligent decisions and improve business performance, which sometimes requires reproducing business processes from a legacy application to a digital-native state to reduce the functional, technical and operational debts. Adaptive Scrum can reduce the complexity of the reproduction process iteratively as well as provide transparency in data analytics porojects.
It Takes an Ecosystem: How Technology Companies Deliver Exceptional ExperiencesCognizant
Experience is evolving into a strategy that reaches across technology companies. We offer guidance on the rise of experience and its role in business modernization, with details on how orgnizations can build the ecosystem to support it.
The Work Ahead: Transportation and Logistics Delivering on the Digital-Physic...Cognizant
The T&L industry appears poised to accelerate its long-overdue modernization drive, as the pandemic spurs an increased need for agility and resilience, according to our study.
Enhancing Desirability: Five Considerations for Winning Digital InitiativesCognizant
To be a modern digital business in the post-COVID era, organizations must be fanatical about the experiences they deliver to an increasingly savvy and expectant user community. Getting there requires a mastery of human-design thinking, compelling user interface and interaction design, and a focus on functional and nonfunctional capabilities that drive business differentiation and results.
The Work Ahead in Manufacturing: Fulfilling the Agility MandateCognizant
According to our research, manufacturers are well ahead of other industries in their IoT deployments but need to marshal the investment required to meet today’s intensified demands for business resilience.
The Work Ahead in Higher Education: Repaving the Road for the Employees of To...Cognizant
Higher-ed institutions expect pandemic-driven disruption to continue, especially as hyperconnectivity, analytics and AI drive personalized education models over the lifetime of the learner, according to our recent research.
Engineering the Next-Gen Digital Claims Organisation for Australian General I...Cognizant
In recent years, insurers have invested in technology platforms and process improvements to improve
claims outcomes. Leaders will build on this foundation across the claims landscape, spanning experience,
operations, customer service and the overall supply chain with market-differentiating capabilities to
achieve sustainable results.
Profitability in the Direct-to-Consumer Marketplace: A Playbook for Media and...Cognizant
Amid constant change, industry leaders need an upgraded IT infrastructure capable of adapting to audience expectations while proactively anticipating ever-evolving business requirements.
Green Rush: The Economic Imperative for SustainabilityCognizant
Green business is good business, according to our recent research, whether for companies monetizing tech tools used for sustainability or for those that see the impact of these initiatives on business goals.
Policy Administration Modernization: Four Paths for InsurersCognizant
The pivot to digital is fraught with numerous obstacles but with proper planning and execution, legacy carriers can update their core systems and keep pace with the competition, while proactively addressing customer needs.
The Work Ahead in Utilities: Powering a Sustainable Future with DigitalCognizant
Utilities are starting to adopt digital technologies to eliminate slow processes, elevate customer experience and boost sustainability, according to our recent study.
AI in Media & Entertainment: Starting the Journey to ValueCognizant
Up to now, the global media & entertainment industry (M&E) has been lagging most other sectors in its adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). But our research shows that M&E companies are set to close the gap over the coming three years, as they ramp up their investments in AI and reap rising returns. The first steps? Getting a firm grip on data – the foundation of any successful AI strategy – and balancing technology spend with investments in AI skills.
Operations Workforce Management: A Data-Informed, Digital-First ApproachCognizant
As #WorkFromAnywhere becomes the rule rather than the exception, organizations face an important question: How can they increase their digital quotient to engage and enable a remote operations workforce to work collaboratively to deliver onclient requirements and contractual commitments?
Five Priorities for Quality Engineering When Taking Banking to the CloudCognizant
As banks move to cloud-based banking platforms for lower costs and greater agility, they must seamlessly integrate technologies and workflows while ensuring security, performance and an enhanced user experience. Here are five ways cloud-focused quality assurance helps banks maximize the benefits.
Getting Ahead With AI: How APAC Companies Replicate Success by Remaining FocusedCognizant
Changing market dynamics are propelling Asia-Pacific businesses to take a highly disciplined and focused approach to ensuring that their AI initiatives rapidly scale and quickly generate heightened business impact.
The Work Ahead in Intelligent Automation: Coping with Complexity in a Post-Pa...Cognizant
Intelligent automation continues to be a top driver of the future of work, according to our recent study. To reap the full advantages, businesses need to move from isolated to widespread deployment.
Premium MEAN Stack Development Solutions for Modern BusinessesSynapseIndia
Stay ahead of the curve with our premium MEAN Stack Development Solutions. Our expert developers utilize MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js to create modern and responsive web applications. Trust us for cutting-edge solutions that drive your business growth and success.
Know more: https://www.synapseindia.com/technology/mean-stack-development-company.html
LA HUG - Video Testimonials with Chynna Morgan - June 2024Lital Barkan
Have you ever heard that user-generated content or video testimonials can take your brand to the next level? We will explore how you can effectively use video testimonials to leverage and boost your sales, content strategy, and increase your CRM data.🤯
We will dig deeper into:
1. How to capture video testimonials that convert from your audience 🎥
2. How to leverage your testimonials to boost your sales 💲
3. How you can capture more CRM data to understand your audience better through video testimonials. 📊
3.0 Project 2_ Developing My Brand Identity Kit.pptxtanyjahb
A personal brand exploration presentation summarizes an individual's unique qualities and goals, covering strengths, values, passions, and target audience. It helps individuals understand what makes them stand out, their desired image, and how they aim to achieve it.
Digital Transformation and IT Strategy Toolkit and TemplatesAurelien Domont, MBA
This Digital Transformation and IT Strategy Toolkit was created by ex-McKinsey, Deloitte and BCG Management Consultants, after more than 5,000 hours of work. It is considered the world's best & most comprehensive Digital Transformation and IT Strategy Toolkit. It includes all the Frameworks, Best Practices & Templates required to successfully undertake the Digital Transformation of your organization and define a robust IT Strategy.
Editable Toolkit to help you reuse our content: 700 Powerpoint slides | 35 Excel sheets | 84 minutes of Video training
This PowerPoint presentation is only a small preview of our Toolkits. For more details, visit www.domontconsulting.com
Falcon stands out as a top-tier P2P Invoice Discounting platform in India, bridging esteemed blue-chip companies and eager investors. Our goal is to transform the investment landscape in India by establishing a comprehensive destination for borrowers and investors with diverse profiles and needs, all while minimizing risk. What sets Falcon apart is the elimination of intermediaries such as commercial banks and depository institutions, allowing investors to enjoy higher yields.
The world of search engine optimization (SEO) is buzzing with discussions after Google confirmed that around 2,500 leaked internal documents related to its Search feature are indeed authentic. The revelation has sparked significant concerns within the SEO community. The leaked documents were initially reported by SEO experts Rand Fishkin and Mike King, igniting widespread analysis and discourse. For More Info:- https://news.arihantwebtech.com/search-disrupted-googles-leaked-documents-rock-the-seo-world/
Discover the innovative and creative projects that highlight my journey throu...dylandmeas
Discover the innovative and creative projects that highlight my journey through Full Sail University. Below, you’ll find a collection of my work showcasing my skills and expertise in digital marketing, event planning, and media production.
VAT Registration Outlined In UAE: Benefits and Requirementsuae taxgpt
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[Note: This is a partial preview. To download this presentation, visit:
https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations]
Sustainability has become an increasingly critical topic as the world recognizes the need to protect our planet and its resources for future generations. Sustainability means meeting our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It involves long-term planning and consideration of the consequences of our actions. The goal is to create strategies that ensure the long-term viability of People, Planet, and Profit.
Leading companies such as Nike, Toyota, and Siemens are prioritizing sustainable innovation in their business models, setting an example for others to follow. In this Sustainability training presentation, you will learn key concepts, principles, and practices of sustainability applicable across industries. This training aims to create awareness and educate employees, senior executives, consultants, and other key stakeholders, including investors, policymakers, and supply chain partners, on the importance and implementation of sustainability.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts that form the foundation of sustainability within corporate environments.
2. Explore the sustainability implementation model, focusing on effective measures and reporting strategies to track and communicate sustainability efforts.
3. Identify and define best practices and critical success factors essential for achieving sustainability goals within organizations.
CONTENTS
1. Introduction and Key Concepts of Sustainability
2. Principles and Practices of Sustainability
3. Measures and Reporting in Sustainability
4. Sustainability Implementation & Best Practices
To download the complete presentation, visit: https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations
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The key differences between the MDR and IVDR in the EU
Beyond Green: The Triple Play of Sustainability
1. Beyond Green:
The Triple Play of
Sustainability
The CIO is in a prime position to help organizations
broaden sustainability efforts to cover environmental,
economic and social impacts.
| FUTURE OF WORK
1 FUTURE OF WORK March 2011
2. Executive Summary
Want to find the most environmentally conscious person in
the organization to lead your company to a more sustainable
future? A good place to start is the CIO. Across industries, CIOs
in many companies have been spearheading corporate-wide
“green” initiatives, both within and outside of IT, with many
fruitful results. Through programs like data center consolida-
tion, server virtualization, desktop power management initia-
tives, print management and new equipment procurement
guidelines, to name just a few, CIOs have steadily worked to
successfully reduce IT’s carbon footprint.
Many CIOs have also reached across the aisle to facilities
management groups in their organizations to ensure that HVAC
and lighting is optimized, inside and outside the data center.
And by leading projects to baseline greenhouse gas and carbon
emissions levels and then set reduction targets — even building
dashboards for the entire company to easily view the results of
their efforts — they have become advocates and educators for
corporate-wide environmental sustainability initiatives.
However, the field of sustainability is much broader than just
the environment. Organizations such as the Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI) now define sustainability as a triumverate that
encompasses not just the environmental impacts of the company
but the economic and social footprint, as well (see Figure 1).
The Sustainability Triumverate
Social
Bearable Equitable
Sustainable
Environment Economic
Viable
Source: Open-Sustainability
Figure 1
2 FUTURE OF WORK March 2011
3. The classic definition of sustainability is “meeting the needs
of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.”1 It is an expanded way of
measuring organizational success, using values and criteria from
the economic, environmental and social realms, often referred
to as the “triple bottom line.”2 Increasingly, sustainability is
also used as a term to describe a company’s environmental,
social and governance (ESG) management approach. The idea
is to balance the needs of people, the planet and the company’s
profits to create long-term shareholder value.
In ever increasing numbers, corporations, government agencies,
universities and even cities are compelled to develop and report
on key performance indicators around these three areas of sus-
tainability. Annual reports that include just financial data may
one day be superseded by “an integrated report,”
as governments, investors, citizens, employees The idea is to balance
and business partners begin to demand a single the needs of people, the
document that integrates corporate performance
on environmental, economic and social impacts
planet and the company’s
and goals, as well. These “integrated reports” are profits to create long-term
not static documents but instead leverage the Web shareholder value.
to provide stakeholders with analytic tools, more
detailed information and an opportunity to engage with the
company, according to Robert Eccles, professor of management
practice at Harvard Business School and co-author of One
Report: Integrated Reporting for a Sustainable Strategy. “It is
as much about listening as it is talking,” Eccles says.
It won’t be long before sustainability reporting becomes a
vital way of doing business. With a post-recession business world
increasingly influenced by the four forces of the Future of Work
— globalization, virtualization, cloud computing and millennial-
influenced workforce and marketplace — pressure is mounting
for companies to be transparent and open to scrutiny about how
they do business and maintain profitability.
The CIO (and the IT organization) has an opportunity and per-
haps even a responsibility to become a major contributor to
March 2011 FUTURE OF WORK 3
4. broader corporate sustainability efforts. IT already owns a
large portion of responsibility for the environmental impact
of computing resources, and with its cross-functional view of
the organization, it often understands best how to optimize
business processes and lead the organizational
CIOs who get on top change necessary to begin the journey to sustain-
of this trend now can ability awareness and reporting. Most importantly,
since the effort requires a significant amount of
become an invaluable information gathering, IT is perfectly positioned
resource for building the to support the business in choosing the founda-
strategies, frameworks, tion and tools for sustainability reporting and
tracking.
technology foundations
and tools necessary In the near future, sustainability reporting will
likely become a competitive differentiator, as in-
for sustainability and,
vestors, corporations and consumers increasingly
ultimately, integrated use these measurements to decide with whom
reporting. they do business. CIOs who get on top of this
trend now can become an invaluable resource for
building the strategies, frameworks, technology foundations
and tools necessary for sustainability and, ultimately, integrat-
ed reporting. Companies that don’t start now will likely find
themselves at a competitive disadvantage in the very near
future. (Learn more by viewing our latest video.)
4 FUTURE OF WORK March 2011
5. The Pressure is on for Sustainability Reporting
Concern about corporate sustainability is not new. Since 1999, the Dow Jones
Sustainability Index has tracked the financial performance of leading sustainabil-
ity-driven companies worldwide. What is different today is that sustainability is
no longer just about the environment. As “green” efforts enter the mainstream,
businesses worldwide are under increased scrutiny to become more socially respon-
sible, as well as environmentally conscious, while meeting investor expectations for
financial performance.
Also new is the mounting pressure on organizations to report on data showing their
environmental, economic and social impacts, their progress toward these goals and
areas in which they still have work to do. Increasingly, this type of reporting is
expected to be integrated in one, single report that combines financial and non-
financial performance information.
The pressure to report on sustainability comes from all sides: The financial com-
munity, customers, employees and government regulators. The idea of operating in
a sustainable way and being able to report on it is becoming less of a feel-good
practice and increasingly engrained in the way companies conduct business.
Indeed, while sustainability reporting is currently voluntary, many believe manda-
tory reporting is inevitable.3
Mandated or not, thousands of corporations around the world today engage in
sustainability reporting, according to a study conducted by the CorporateRegister.
This study found the number of sustainability and similar reports
issued by corporations grew from 26 in 1992 to over 3,000 in
2008. According to the Hauser Center at Harvard, the world’s Since June 1, 2010, all
largest companies now regularly issue sustainability reports, in a
wide range of industries, from financial services, to healthcare, as 450 companies listed on
do nonprofit organizations, cities and trade associations. Ernst &
Young research shows that more than two-thirds of the Fortune the Johannesburg Stock
Global 500 publish some form of sustainability or corporate
social responsibility (CSR) report.4 Exchange are required
Even if companies don’t formally issue a sustainability report, they to publish an “integrated
are beginning to compile this data and make it available on their
Web sites. In a 2010 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), report,” including data
the number of U.S. companies with CSR information on their
Web sites jumped from 75% in July 2009 to 81% the following on their economic,
year. Europe is further ahead, with 94% of companies publishing
CSR data on their Web site and 18% publishing a CSR report.5
environmental and social
U.S. companies lag behind their counterparts in other parts of the impact or explain why
world. According to the PwC report, less than 30% of S&P 500
companies issued CSR reports in the U.S., compared with 75% they are not doing so.
of S&P Europe 350 companies. European companies are now
seeing disqualifications to bid on RFPs because of poor ESG scores or no proof of
improvement. And in South Africa, since June 1, 2010, all 450 companies listed on
the Johannesburg Stock Exchange are required to publish an “integrated report,”
including data on their economic, environmental and social impact or explain why
they are not doing so. Other stock exchanges are likely not far behind.6
Meanwhile, in the financial community, an increasing number of organizations are
publishing rankings of companies based on their sustainability measurements,
including the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, the CRD Analytics Global 1000 Sus-
tainable Performance Leaders and FTSE4 Group’s FTSE4Good Index Series.
March 2011 FUTURE OF WORK 5
6. There is a growing investor awareness regarding the importance of sustainability
and even the relationship between sustainability reporting and corporate perfor-
mance. According to a 2010 study by Ioannis Ioannou at the London Business School
and George Serafeim at Harvard, equity analysts are now giving higher ratings to
companies with exemplary CSR practices.7 The study surveyed
It won’t be long before not 4,100 publically-traded companies over a 16-year period.
reporting on sustainability In addition to investors, customers are applying pressure for
greater transparency and improved performance on sustain-
becomes a risk factor, as ability. Cognizant receives approximately one request per week
from our customers on ESG performance. Clearly, all global
those that don’t will soon companies will need to raise the bar of their sustainability
reporting to meet the needs of clients, worldwide.
be seen by consumers, Benefits of Sustainability Reporting
employees and other In addition to the external pressures to institute a sustainabil-
ity reporting program, there are also significant benefits to
stakeholders as unwilling creating better internal processes and controls to gather and
analyze ESG data. According to Ernst & Young, these include
to be transparent and better measurement of the organization’s triple-pronged bottom
line, greater stakeholder trust, improved risk management and
even less competitive. increased operational efficiency.
Sustainability reporting is very much aligned with the Future of Work forces and
channels these forces in useful and productive ways. For example:
• Changing demographics: Companies that become more transparent and
showcase their corporate social responsibility will be more attractive to the
growing numbers of millennials who will soon dominate both the workforce
as employees and the marketplace as consumers. It won’t be long before not
reporting on sustainability becomes a risk factor, as those that
People from both don’t will soon be seen by consumers, employees and other
stakeholders as unwilling to be transparent and even less com-
inside and outside the petitive. In response, corporations must become more open and
transparent about how they are building a more sustainable
organization should join enterprise.
• Globalization: With more businesses expanding into emerging
together as a virtual team economies and assembling work teams across geographies,
including developing nations, there are increasing drivers
to tackle sustainability around sustainability, such as social justice, labor practices and
human rights. Sustainability reporting will also enable globally-
issues and reporting. minded companies to more effectively comply with legislative
mandates across the world.
• Virtualization: Tackling sustainability is not an effort that should be contained
within the four walls of an organization, but rather, it extends beyond traditional
organizational structures. People from both inside and outside the organiza-
tion should join together as a virtual team to tackle sustainability issues and
reporting.
• Cloud: Social networking and other Web 2.0 technologies play a two-pronged
role in sustainability reporting. They are both driving demand for greater
transparency and enabling companies to report in more engaging and interactive
ways. For instance, corporate Web sites can expand beyond static sustainability
reports by including interactive features such as blogs and feedback mechanisms.8
6 FUTURE OF WORK March 2011
7. According to Professor Eccles, sustainability reporting leverages the Internet to
provide more detailed information of interest to shareholders and other stake-
holders, as well as for improving dialogue and engagement with all stakeholders.
Additionally, companies will need to build out their infrastructures and create
a new IT foundation to enable sustainability reporting. In many cases, it makes
sense for some of these tools and technologies to be delivered more cost-effec-
tively through the cloud, through business process as a service (BPaaS).
Sustainability Reporting Trends
Two important trends that are influencing sustainability reporting programs are
the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the integrated report.
Global Reporting Initiative
The GRI is a main point of reference for corporate sustainability reporting. This
voluntary, non-proprietary initiative has developed content and quality principles,
standard disclosures and a set of 79 universally applicable reporting parameters to
guide organizations in developing programs to measure corporate performance on
sustainability (see Figure 2).
GRI Performance Indicators
7/10 1/2 1/1 2/3 2/3 0/1
Performance
Indicators Emissions, Customer Health Community Employment Investment and Security
Efffluents, and Safety Procurement Practices
Categories and Waste Practices
and Aspects
2/2 2/2 1/3 3/3 2/2 1/1 0/1
Materials Products and Product and Corruption Labor/ Non- Indigenous
Services Service Labeling Management Discrimination Rights
Relations
2/5 1/1 1/2 1/2 2/4 1/1 4/4
Freedom of
Energy Compliance Marketing Public Policy Occupational Association and Economic
Communications Health and Collective Performance
Safety Bargaining
1/3 0/1 0/1 0/1 1/3 1/1 2/3
Child Labor
Water Transport Customer Anti-Competitive Training and Market Presence
Privacy Behavior Education
2/5 0/1 1/1 0/1 2/2 1/1 1/2
Child Labor
Biodiversity Overall Compliance Anti-Competitive Diversity and Indirect
Behavior Equal Economic
Opportunity Impacts
■ EN = Environmental 17/30* ■ PR = Product Responsibility 4/9* ■ SO = Society 6/8*
■ LA = Labor Practices and Decent Work 9/14* ■ HR = Human Rights 6/9* ■ EC = Economic 7/9*
*Numbers show core vs. total indicators. Of the 79 total indicators, 49 are “core” and 30 are “additional.”
Source: Global Reporting Initiative
Figure 2
March 2011 FUTURE OF WORK 7
8. Just as there are standard ways to calculate revenues and assets, for example,
these GRI indicators provide guidelines for what to disclose and how to report on
non-accounting-based economic indicators and environmental and social perfor-
mance. The GRI’s G3 Guidelines are grouped into the three commonly accepted
categories that define sustainability:
Just as there are • Economic: These indicators include the company’s impact on the
economic conditions of its stakeholders at the local, national and global
standard ways to calculate levels.
revenues and assets, • Environmental: This includes the impact on living and non-living natural
systems, including ecosystems, land, air and water.
these GRI indicators • Social: This includes the impact on the social systems within which the
organization operates. Four categories are included:
provide guidelines for
> Labor practices: Impacts on the workforce, including labor/manage-
what to disclose and ment relations, health and safety, training and education and diversity.
> Human rights: Includes investment and procurement practices, child
how to report on and forced labor, security practices.
non-accounting-based > Society: Impacts on communities, including corruption, public policy
and anti-competitive behavior.
economic indicators > Product responsibility: Includes product health and safety, informa-
tion and labeling, marketing and privacy.
and environmental
Companies can move through three levels of GRI compliance, as they grow
and social performance. more advanced in their sustainability reporting. For Level C reporting, a
company must report on only 10 of the parameters, while for a Level
B report, it must report on at least 20. For Level A reporting, a company must
report on all core and Sector Supplement indicators or explain the reason for its
omission.
The GRI is fast becoming a commonly used framework for sustainability programs,
with over 1,200 reports registered in 2009.9 According to PwC’s 2010 study, 83% of
companies that produce sustainability reports use the GRI guidelines. According to
KPMG, 80% of Fortune Global 250 companies and 70% of the world’s largest 100
companies refer to GRI guidelines. The GRI has caused a multiplicative effect, since
once a major company adopts GRI reporting, it often asks suppliers to report on
similar indicators. The G3 Guidelines are used by CRD Analytics in its Global 1000
index,10 and they will likely become incorporated into frameworks that get developed
for integrated reporting.
In addition to its role in developing standard reporting parameters, the GRI is influ-
ential in other ways. It believes that by 2015, all large and medium-size companies
in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries and
large emerging economies should be required to report on their ESG performance
and, if they do not do so, to explain why. It also believes that by 2020, there should
be a generally accepted and applied international standard that would effectively
integrate financial and ESG reporting by all organizations.11
Integrated Reporting
Integrated reporting combines financial and sustainability measures into a single,
dynamic report that leverages Web 2.0 technologies to engage with stakehold-
ers in dialogue and analysis. A major driver for integrated reporting is the work of
Professor Eccles of Harvard Business School, who advocates for GRI parameters
to be adopted as the worldwide sustainability reporting standard. Eccles describes
8 FUTURE OF WORK March 2011
9. the central role of integrated reporting in creating sustainable companies and,
ultimately, a sustainable society, in his book, One Report: Integrated Reporting for
a Sustainable Strategy. In effect, Eccles believes that corporations play a crucial
role in creating a sustainable world. All companies need to be profitable to stay in
business, he argues, but the question is, how are those profits earned, and what are
the social and environmental costs of earning them? While sustainable organiza-
tions need to be bolstered by a new ecosystem of management practices, technolo-
gies, intelligent regulation and individual decisions, integrated reporting is central,
Eccles says, because it establishes the discipline for the integrated management of
financial, natural and human resources. It also meets stakeholders’
information needs — along with processes of engagement — to enable
them to help the company build a sustainable strategy.12
Key IT roles such as
The topic of integrating financial and sustainability reporting is
enterprise architect,
gaining significant interest in various groups, such as compliance and
financial reporting experts, academicians and socially responsible
business architect, IT
investors. Major companies are moving to an integrated report, such
as Southwest Airlines, United Technologies and Novo Nordisk. Some
relationship manager
European countries, such as France, are edging closer to requiring
companies to produce an integrated report.
and business analyst
The Role of the CIO in Enabling Sustainability
have the process skills
IT is uniquely positioned to work on corporate sustainability initia- and organizational
tives and could even position itself as sustainability champion
in companies without a chief sustainability officer. Not only knowledge to drive
does IT already own a healthy piece of responsibility for
the company’s environmental impact, but it also has a cross- waste and inefficiency
functional view of the organization and understands how to
optimize business processes and lead organizational change out of the organization.
management necessary for launching a sustainability program.
Key IT roles such as enterprise architect, business architect, IT relationship manager
and business analyst have the process skills and organizational knowledge to
drive waste and inefficiency out of the organization.
Most important, sustainability programs require new frameworks, strategies,
technology foundations and reporting and tracking tools, in which IT must be
integrally involved in selecting. IT has a vital role in supporting organizational efforts
to gather information about sustainability from internal and external sources, create
collaborative capabilities, set targets and track progress against these goals.
IT’s role in a corporate sustainability program falls into two categories of activity:
Plan the platform and tools for the initiative and analyze and improve the company’s
sustainability performance.
Category 1: Develop the integrated technology foundation that collects,
analyzes and reports on core sustainability information for GRI reporting.
IT can lead the effort to identify a subset of GRI indicators the company is going to
track. In some cases data exists, and it’s a matter of pulling it together in a reporting
format. But other data may not exist, such as the case of occupational/health and
safety data or carbon reporting.
Because sustainability reporting is not a one-time event but at least an annual
endeavor, applications need to be developed that automate data collection and
capture of these indicators. Not all GRI indicators require an IT system, but 50% to
70% could be facilitated through technology.
March 2011 FUTURE OF WORK 9
10. Sustainability Reporting Systems Architecture
XBRL Engine
Industry Standards
Library
Reporting Layer
GRI , CDP , UNGC, ILO, Peer &
ETI, FASB, IASB Competitor
Reports
Sustainability Performance Repository
Indicator Actual Industry
Repository Targets
Performance Benchmarks Extraction
Text Actual Performance Data Collector
Input
Financials Human Resources Supply Chain Env., Health, Safety Other
General Human Outbound Carbon Env., Health, Contract Gov., Risk,
Payroll Receiving Mgmt Safety
Ledger Resource Logistics Mgmt Compl. (GRC)
Water Building
Mgmt Mgmt (IBMS)
Accounts Learning Time Procurement Cust Sat Survey Tool
Payable Mgmt Tracking
Sensors Meters
Source: Cognizant
Figure 3
Once captured, the data needs to be rolled up into a centralized platform, and
analysis and reporting tools need to be disseminated for key stakeholders to set
targets, track efforts and report to various audiences. For instance, the core HR
system can provide data on employee demographics, but companies
By tagging data that is also need to set targets for improvement and perform year-over-year
tracking, as well as real-time monitoring for new hires and attrition.
captured, it can be made Such real-time monitoring, reporting and analysis will require sophis-
available in real time. Users ticated sensing and database technologies, according to Professor
Eccles, who recently moderated a workshop on integrated reporting
can drill down or manipulate at Harvard Business School.13 Technology will also enable reporting
to become an interactive dialogue among virtualized teams of
the data via easily usable participants through the Web.
iPhone-like applications. The key technology elements outlined in the workshop include the
following:
• Sensing technology: Sensors that gather information about heat, light, electric-
ity and fuel consumption, as well as water flow rates, can help capture relevant
data in real time. Such technology can be used to monitor the status of different
metrics in facilities or manufacturing processes.
• Data tagging: By tagging data that is captured, it can be made available in real
time. Users can drill down or manipulate the data via easily usable iPhone-like
applications. Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) can play a key
role in this. XBRL is a standards-based way to communicate and exchange busi-
ness information between business systems.14 It is becoming an important tech-
nology for publishing both financial and sustainability data, particularly as more
ratings and rankings organizations demand automated methods to capture sus-
tainability performance data from companies.
10 FUTURE OF WORK March 2011
11. • Real-time monitoring, reporting, analysis: This will help organizations react
quickly when problems are identified or sustainability performance indicators
trend in the wrong direction.
• System and application integration: This is necessary for companies to aggre-
gate ESG data across regions and systems.
• Security/privacy: More data will be made publicly available, but sensitive data
will still need protection.
• Web 2.0: Unlike traditional reports, integrated reports are ideally interactive,
enabling participation in wikis, blogs and other feedback mechanisms.
• Cloud computing: Capabilities needed for sustainability programs can be deliv-
ered via BPaaS solutions. The use of cloud can also reduce the need to invest in
developing new systems.
IT needs to plan and either build or buy the entire technology stack that brings
together these capabilities (see Figure 3).
Category 2: Analyze and improve the company’s sustainability performance.
IT can also play a lead role in improving corporate sustainability performance to
ensure the long-term economic success of the enterprise. The commitment to
doing this needs to start at the highest level of the organization, with sustainability
becoming integrated into the corporate strategy, which is supported by the overall
IT strategy.
As a starting point, corporations must understand the idiosyncrasies of their
business and industry in which they compete and identify the types of sustainabil-
ity pressures and opportunities the business is facing. For instance, pressures for
a consumer products company or a manufacturer will be much
different from those of a B2B software company or a company
in a knowledge-based industry. The products and services that
As a starting point,
companies offer may provide great opportunities for either
positive or negative social impact. Such insights can be gleaned
corporations must
either by working with the corporate sustainability officer (CSO)
if you have one, or simply by reading the sustainability reports
understand the idiosyncrasies
of your competition or similar companies. of their business and industry
Two useful tools for analyzing and improving sustainability are
the “value chain” and “diamond framework” from Michael Porter,
in which they compete
Harvard Professor and leading authority on business strategy.15
The value chain takes an “inside-out” view which involves
and identify the types of
charting all the activities a company engages in, identifying the sustainability pressures
social impacts of those activities, developing a list of problems
and opportunities to address and identifying opportunities and opportunities the
for social and strategic distinction. The diamond framework
is used to analyze the competitive context a company is in. It business is facing.
looks at “outside-in” linkages — the external influences at the
company’s locations (such as transportation infrastructure) that impact its ability
to compete. In this case, the company would select a few social initiatives to pursue
that have high shared value. In both cases, you can use the GRI’s 79 parameters to
help build the inventory of issues and opportunities.
The business analysts on your IT staff can provide useful insights in this type of
analysis, as they are likely accustomed to using these types of tools. In fact, the CSO
might want to do this type of analysis but not have the skills to do it themselves and
need your team’s assistance.
March 2011 FUTURE OF WORK 11
12. Examples of sustainability opportunities to which IT can contribute include:
• Compliance-oriented systems, which drive better corporate governance, improve
business ethics and reduce the risk of violations or corruption.
• Employee and customer satisfaction tracking systems.
• Sites to engage stakeholders using Web 2.0 and social media. One example is
Starbucks’ BetaCup online contest to create a reusable or recyclable coffee cup
by 2015. The company is using the Web and mass collaboration principles to
gather submissions, generate discussion, provide expert feedback and refine
ideas on sustainable design. Cash prizes will be rewarded to people who submit
the best ideas.
• Applications that improve product or service safety, or reduce the environmental
or health impact of a product or service, or improve customer knowledge of a
product.
• Applications or Web sites that provide social benefit outside the company, such
as Verizon’s Thinkfinity.org Web site that provides thousands of resources to
teachers and students, globally. Another example is the Pepsi Refresh project.
The company encourages people to submit specific ideas for making a positive
impact on the world; promote their submission through videos, social media and
other means; and then vote on submissions, including their own. Winners are
granted money from Pepsi to fund their project.
• Mobile technologies, such as m-health applications that allow patients to monitor
treatment progress using their mobile phones.
• Enabling ways to serve new customers at the base of the pyramid.
Call to Action: Beyond a Mandate
Companies today are called upon to operate responsibly. What are you doing to
improve economic conditions in the markets in which you operate? Are you treating
your employees fairly? Are your products and services produced and used in ways
that meet customers’ increasing expectations about sustainability? How are you
improving the quality of life in the communities in which you operate?
Since the processes What are you doing to reduce your company’s impact on the envi-
ronment? What are you doing to ensure continued availability of
for creating an integrated scarce natural resources? Particularly with millennials entering the
workforce and adding their voices to public opinion, transparency and
report will increasingly be social responsibility are becoming more important than ever. Orga-
nizations will increasingly be called upon to move beyond rhetorical
refined and standardized, commitments to sustainability and into a mindset of managing and
even competing on their performance against the most meaningful
it makes more sense to tap of sustainability indicators.16
an existing hosted process To build a more sustainable planet, reporting across environmental,
economic and societal factors needs to be tightly integrated and
rather than building standardized. To this end, GRI and “one” reporting are poised to
become internationally accepted standards. In addition, companies
a one-off system. will need partners with demonstrated expertise in building, managing
and maintaining such systems. Since the processes for creating an
integrated report will increasingly be refined and standardized, it makes more sense
to tap an existing hosted process rather than building a one-off system.
Investing in the right IT today can pave the way for a more sustainable — and com-
petitive — future. The key is to think about areas where your company, using IT,
12 FUTURE OF WORK March 2011
13. might be able to either do less harm or, ideally, do more good. And by doing more
good, it will also be able to increase revenue, reduce cost, optimize the supply chain,
improve the organization’s reputation and reduce business risk.
In the end, sustainability represents a significant opportunity for the CIO. Partic-
ularly in organizations where a program has yet to begin, CIOs should consider
stepping up and offering to take on this role until the time the company has sus-
tainability embedded in all of its core business processes and no longer needs to
be flagged as a separate initiative. Those CIOs who step up to this challenge will
enable their companies to develop more sustainable strategies. Corporations can
play a leading role in creating a more sustainable society, and CIOs have it in their
power to ensure they can do so.
References
“Sustainability Reporting… So What?” Organizations, Climate Change & Adaptation,
November 28, 2010, http://climatechangeadaptation.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/sustainabili-
ty-reporting-so-what/
“From Transparency to Performance,” The Hauser Center for Non-Profit Organizations at Har-
vard University, http://hausercenter.org/iri/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/IRI_Transparency-
to-Performance.pdf
Helen Coster, “Ranking the World’s Most Sustainable Companies,” Forbes.com, June 27, 2010,
http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/26/most-sustainable-companies-leadership-citizenship-100.
html
“Sustainability Reporting: The Emerging Challenge,” Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, June 2010,
http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-Global/Local%20Assets/Documents/CCS/GRI_white-
paper_061710.pdf
“Seven Questions CEOs and Boards Should Ask About ‘Triple Bottom Line’ Reporting,” Ernst
& Young, http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Seven_things_CEOs_boards_should_
ask_about_climate_reporting/$FILE/Seven_things_CEOs_boards_should_ask_about_cli-
mate_reporting.pdf
“CSR Trends 2010,” Craib Design and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP,
http://www.pwc.com/ca/en/sustainability/publications/csr-trends-2010-09.pdf
Charles Green, “Integrated Reporting: Interview with Harvard Business School’s Robert
Eccles,” TrustedAdvisor.com, Jan. 19, 2011, http://trustedadvisor.com/trustmatters/robert-
eccles-interview-trust-quotes-series-18
Robert G. Eccles, Michael P. Krzus, One Report: Integrated Reporting for a Sustainable
Strategy, Wiley, March 2010.
“Sustainability Reporting,” Sudesca.org, May 9, 2010, http://www.sudesca.org/economic-poli-
cy-for-central-america-and-the-caribbean/sustainability-reporting/
“Framework for Integrated Reporting and the Integrated Report,” Integrated Reporting
Committee of South Africa, January 25, 2011, http://www.sustainabilitysa.org/
Robert Eccles, Beiting Cheng, Daniela Saltzman, The Landscape of Integrated Reporting:
Reflections and Next Steps, The President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2010,
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/30930
Rumi Morales and Edouard van Tichelen, “Sustainable Stock Exchanges: Real Obstacles, Real
Opportunities,” Responsible Research and Aviva Investors, 2010, http://www.responsiblere-
search.com/Responsible_Research___Sustainable_Stock_Exchanges_2010.pdf
Robert Eccles and Kyle Armbrester, “Integrated Reporting in the Cloud,” IESE Insight, Issue 8,
Q1 2011, http://insight.iese.edu/
“Sustainability: The ‘Embracers’ Seize Advantage,” MIT Sloan Management Review and The
Boston Consulting Group, 2011, http://sloanreview.mit.edu/special-report/sustainability-ad-
vantage/
March 2011 FUTURE OF WORK 13
14. Footnotes
1
The Brundtland Commission, formally the World Commission on Environment and Develop-
ment (WCED).
2
Wikipedia definition, “triple bottom line,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_bottom_line
3
Steve Lydenberg, Jean Rogers and David Wood, “From Transparency to Performance,”
The Hauser Center for Non-Profit Organizations at Harvard University, May 2010. http://
hausercenter.org/iri/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/IRI_Transparency-to-Performance.pdf
4
“Seven Questions CEOs and Boards Should Ask About ‘Triple Bottom Line’ Reporting,” Ernst
& Young, 2010. http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Seven_things_CEOs_boards_
should_ask_about_climate_reporting/$FILE/Seven_things_CEOs_boards_should_ask_about_
climate_reporting.pdf
5
“CSR Trends 2010,” Craib Design and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
http://www.pwc.com/ca/en/sustainability/publications/csr-trends-2010-09.pdf
6
“International Survey of Corporate Responsibility Reporting,” KPMG, 2008.
http://www.kpmg.com/GR/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Sustainability/
Documents/SurveyofCorporateResponsibilityReporting2008.pdf
7
“Seven Questions CEOs and Boards Should Ask About ‘Triple Bottom Line’ Reporting,”
Ernst & Young, 2010.
8
“CSR Trends 2010,” Craib Design and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
9
Mike Wallace, “Global ESG Reporting Trends,” Global Reporting Initiatiave, June 2010,
http://seechange.businessroundtable.org/Media/PDF/2010.01.19%20Global%20ESG%20
Reporting%20Trends.Part%201.pdf
10
“CRD Analytics Launches Sustainable Performance Ranking Based on GRI Guidelines,” Global
Reporting Initiative, http://www.globalreporting.org/NewsEventsPress/LatestNews/2010/CR-
DAnalytics.htm
11
“GRI Announces its 2015 and 2020 Goals,” GlobalReporting.org, May 26, 2010, http://www.en-
viroreporting.com/detail_press.phtml?act_id=1048&username=guest@enviroreporting.com&p
assword=9999&username=guest@enviroreporting.com&password=9999&groups=ENVREP
12
Charles Green, “Integrated Reporting: Interview with Harvard Business School’s Robert
Eccles,” TrustMatters blog, TrustedAdvisor Associates, January 19, 2011.
http://trustedadvisor.com/trustmatters/robert-eccles-interview-trust-quotes-series-18
13
“A Workshop on Integrated Reporting: Frameworks and Action Plan,”
Harvard Business School, October 2010.
14
Wikipedia definition.
15
Michael Porter and Mark Kramer, “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive
Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility,” Harvard Business Review, December 2006,
http://www.salesforcefoundation.org/files/HBR-CompetiveAdvAndCSR.pdf
16
“From Transparency to Performance,” The Hauser Center.
About the Author
Mark Greenlaw is Cognizant’s Vice President of Sustainability and Educational Affairs.
In this role, he is responsible for ensuring that Cognizant conducts its business in a
sustainable and socially responsible manner. Mark also oversees Cognizant’s U.S.
Education Outreach and Campus Recruiting Programs. Previously, he was Cogni-
zant’s CIO with responsibility for Cognizant’s global IT function as the company
grew from 17,000 to over 80,000 employees. Mark has 26 years of experience in the
information technology industry and a graduate of Penn State University. He can be
reached at Mark.Greenlaw@cognizant.com.
14 FUTURE OF WORK March 2011